Improvement in expansible gates for sewers



EXP-A113113@ GATES Fon sEWERs.

Patented Aug. 15, 1876.

messes M75@ Wit i? PATENT FFIOE.

THOMAS BRADY AND DENNIS a.' MANNING, 0F SAN FRANCISCO, OAL.

IMPROVEMENT IN EXPANSIBLE GATES FOR SEWERS.

.Specification forming part of LettersPatent No. 181,1 35, dated August 15, 1876; application led July 6,1876.

Talltohom it niaycoiccrn:

j Be 1t known that we, THOMAS BRADY and f DENNIS R. MANNING, both` of San Francisco citjT and4 county, 4State of California, havew 1nvented an Expansible Gate for Sewers, and we do hereby declare theibllowin g description and accompanying drawings are sufficient to ena gates employed in the` operation of dus-hing sewers-that is, in temporarily stopping up .the passage until a sufficient head of water is obtained for cleansing the same after the gate has 4been opened or removed, and which may valso be employed in turning oiiz' the water into adjoining sewers for the purpose of repair.

The improvement consists, first, in an expansible gate, which may vbe contracted and lowered through the man=ho1e into the sewer,

. and afterward expanded so as to iill up and obstruct the sewerpassage; secondly, in a series of expan'sible packing-pieces; and, thirdly, in a detachable device for connecting the bottom of the gate with the sewer, and in certain other details of construction, hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, Figure V1 is a perspective view of our gate attached to a section of sewer.

Let A represent the center piece of the gate, and b b side pieces or wings hinged thereto, either permanently or removably, so that the gate may be contracted to pass through the man-hole into the sewer, either by partly folding the wings or by first introducing the main piece A, and afterward adjusting the wings in place thereon. In order to center and steady the gate in the sewer, we provide an iron bar, b, which has a hole for the pin G upon the lower portion of the gate, and which is secured to the bottom of the sewer-passage by chains G and suitable wedges, so that it may be taken up after the iiushing has been completed. The wings b b, after the piece A has been seated, are unfolded and the passage closed. In order to pack `the gate around its l. ed ges,we provide a series of adjustable packling-pieces, which may be expanded so as to abut against the sewer-walls, either by means of a screw and ratchet, or by ratchets alone. 'lhe upperside packing-pieces d d are hinged or' connected with an end packing-piece, e, which is arranged to move upward when theside packing-pieces d dare expanded, so as to form the upper portion of a continuous packing-ring around the gate. These packingpieces we propose to form of steel springs, having bands or strips of india-rubber, or other elastic material, bolted or otherwise secured thereto.

' lThe springs above described are connected with the gate, and guided in their movement by lugs, which work in grooves g, said grooves being formed by slotted plates secured over channels in the center board and wings. The structed and' connected with the gate in a lower packing pieces h h and t' are conmanner similar to the upper packing-pieces, the line of division between the same being conveniently made at the beveled ends z. These packing-pieces are arranged to' be expanded from the center to the rim of the gate, So that a complete packing-ring may be formed around the same by means ofthe pivoted bars K K and K' K', the bars or rods K K being pivoted at their inner ends to a vertically-moving ratchet-bar, m, which, being operated by a ratchet-wheel, u, at the upper portion of the gate, will cause the outer ends of the bars to converge or diverge, as the case may be. The rods K K', which have a similar movement, are pivoted together at their inner ends, and operated byv a screw-rod, a. A ratchet-bar and wheel, like the above, may be substituted therefor, it' desired. In case the screw-rod is employed, I use a key, o, which may be fitted upon its upper end, in order to turn the saine. The bar or timber p, which is secured to the center part A, and extends some distance above the same, is provided at its lower end with a bearing-block for the screw-rod, and at its upper end with suitable journals p, for the axle of the ratchet-wheel. This wheel gears with the cogs of the bar m, and is operated by a suitable handle. A pawl, r, may be pivoted above the ratchet-wheel, and in case it is desired to substitute a similar arrangement of ratchet-bar and Wheel, it is evident that it may be connected with the lower be formed with V-shnped grooves,"whereby greater elasticity is obtained, and the pack ing-pieces may be jointed, as at a0 zc, in order to give greater flexibility to the saine.

By our construction of the gate an e'ectivegate or dam may be readily formed within the sewer, and the water backed up, so as to Hush the same 5 and by operatingthe ratchets, so as to contract thc packing and admit of the wings being folded, the same may be lifted out through the man-hole and transferred to the next sewer to be flushed.

v Having thus described our invention, what We claim, and desire to secure by Letters Pat'- en't, is

1. A gate for closing sewers, constructed with hinged side Wings, whereby its width may be decreased inv order to pass it through the man-hole, and then increased to effectually dam the sewer, substantially as described.

2. A sewer-gate constructed with hinged side pieces, for increasing or decreasing the width ofthe same, and with an expanding or4 contracting series of iiexible packing-pieces, which may be operated by means of screws or ratchcts, to forma line specified, 3. Thelierein-descri `endsrand side pieces d h ande i, hingcdftgether,:substantially as shown, and provided Withffsuitable packingstrips, in combination with the gate, having grooves or ways upon its center and side pieces, and arranged tobe"contracted orexpanded by a ratchet-'wheel and bar and screwrod, or by ratchets alone, constructed substantially as specified.;

4. The timber p, sectired` iipon the center.. 4 Q

piece A, and exteudingfabove' the gate, so as to form a bearing for the lratchet mechanism,

and also a handle f OI;y the1 same, substantially as and for the `purpose specified.

5. The bar b', constructed toform a seat for the gate, and tcmporarilylgconnected with the sewer-walls by chainsgand wedges, or any equivalent manner, substantiallyas specified.y

In witness' whereoffwe have hercuntoset our hands and seals.

otfp' cking aroundsaid f gate, substantially as `andalfor the purposef, 

